Leadership?

We are studying leadership at karate and it got me thinking about my past work experience and the differences I've witnessed. There are leaders and there are control freaks and they are not the same thing. Those who think they are leading are at times strangling the will from their team.

A control freak tries to do it all alone and can't let go. The moment they assign work to another, they micromanage and helicopter to exert control. 

A leader knows how to delegate and let go, because they know their people and their strengths well enough to trust them to do their job and do it right. 

A control freak manipulates and demands instead of being straight forward, which frustrates followers and disengages them from the goal which results in high turnover and a high stress environment. 

A leader encourages and creates an environment of initiative so that those who follow do more than expected because they are appreciated instead of subjugated. 

Control freaks have to be on top and wield authority to feel good about themselves. It's about the control freak's ego. They try to suck up as much credit as possible and diminish the contributions of others. 

A leader sees the group as their responsibility and won't ask someone to do something they aren't willing to do. To them it's about the goal, and if they aren't the best one to lead to that goal, leaders are willing to step back and let the more qualified lead. 

Leaders are positive sources of synergy, while control freaks are toxic in search of narcissistic supply. 

Often control freaks seek out positions of authority, thinking that they beyond a doubt are the best person for the job despite evidence to the contrary or without prior experience. 

Leaders are often sought to lead because of their skills not their desire to have power over others. People respond to them out of a desire of a shared vision.

The world needs more leaders of character and less personality cults in charge of family units, business, and politics. Too many people who are personally out of control of themselves and their lives, try to control the world and people around them, because it seems easier than controlling themselves. Instead of learning to deal with things, they limit the people around them, more and more.  But they are no better at controlling anything than they are with themselves. A person out of control of themselves can not hope to be a good leader of others. All they can bring is chaos, the same chaos that rules themselves.